While the last couple of drafts have gone well for the Sacramento Kings, that hasn't historically been the case. Few teams have consistently botched the draft harder than the front office in Sactown. Fortunately, Scott Perry seems to be much better at it than his predecessors.
As you likely assumed, a lot of the entries on this list came from the now-notorious 2018 NBA Draft. The Kings had the second pick overall and managed to drop the ball several times in both rounds. It's something that still dogs the team to this day.
That being said, 2018 wasn't the only time the Kings made questionable draft choices. After seeing how many of these players turned out, Sacramento would probably like to have a few of these decisions back. The NBA only moves forward, but you still have to learn from the past.
5. Jalen Brunson
To be fair to the Kings' front office, they weren't the only ones sleeping on the future King of New York. The Mavericks took him 33rd overall, making him the third pick in the second round in 2018. A lot of teams passed Brunson over because he was viewed as an undersized point guard. Seeing what he has accomplished since then, every team in the league that didn't take him must have some regret.
4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Like Brunson, the Kings and a few other teams slept on SGA in 2018. Unlike Brunson, SGA went in the first round at number 11 overall. While no one knew they were looking at a future NBA Champion and two-time MVP, his skill and potential were obvious at the time. If the Kings front office had done their homework properly, they would have taken a chance on him.
3. Damian Lillard
Way back in 2012, the Kings had the number five pick in the draft. Great spot, right? That's only if you make a good choice with it. This was the draft year for Lillard, one of the best shooters the game has ever seen. And he's on the verge of returning to an interesting Portland team.
Instead of choosing Lillard, Sacramento went with Thomas Robinson at five, and Lillard went to the Blazers at six. Robinson was traded before the end of his first season after being suspended, played for six NBA teams in five seasons, and has built an international career ever since.
2. Kawhi Leonard
This is another one that hurts. In 2011, the Kings had the seventh pick overall, just like 2026. Sacramento was definitely smarter with the 2026 pick. They used the 2011 pick on Bismack Biyombo, then sent him to the Bobcats as part of a three-team trade that netted them Jimmer Fredette from the Bucks. Making it worse is the fact that Leonard went just a few picks later at 15.
1. Luka Doncic/Trae Young
In 2018, Young was taken fifth overall by the Mavericks, then traded on draft night to the Hawks for Luka Doncic. As previously mentioned, the Kings had the second pick overall that year and could have chosen either of them. Instead, they went with Marvin Bagley III because then general manager Vlade Divac thought he was the best choice to hang around. Bagley left Sacramento in 2022.
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